Rory McIlroy is said to be reconsidering how much time he’ll spend playing on the PGA Tour following the ugly scenes he and his family faced at the Ryder Cup.
The Northern Irishman was one of Team Europe’s standout stars in their victory at Bethpage Black, but what should’ve been a career highlight turned sour after relentless abuse from sections of the American crowd. Things reportedly got so bad that his wife, Erica, even had a beer thrown at her.
According to the Daily Mail, McIlroy was left “very angry and hurt” by the incident — and it’s now shaping some big life decisions. The four-time major champion is preparing to relocate permanently to the UK with Erica and their daughter, after spending years based in Jupiter, Florida.
The move back to England has been a long time coming. The couple have spent the past 18 months renovating their £9 million mansion in Wentworth, Surrey — just a short drive from the exclusive Wentworth Club where McIlroy famously won the BMW PGA Championship in 2014.
While they’ll keep their Florida property, England will become home once again. Friends close to the couple say Erica “can’t wait” to return, especially after the hostility they experienced in the U.S.
For McIlroy, the decision to play fewer PGA Tour events and possibly focus more on Europe’s DP World Tour seems to be getting easier by the day. The behaviour of fans during the Ryder Cup appears to have left a lasting mark — one that’s hard to simply shrug off.
Even though PGA of America CEO Derek Sprague has reportedly sent a formal apology to McIlroy and his family, the damage may already be done.
After years of carrying both tours on his shoulders, McIlroy looks ready to draw some boundaries — not out of bitterness, but to protect his peace and put his family first.
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